Users Criticize Bread Price Increase in Iran: Free Market for Gasoline and Controlled Prices for Bread

Simultaneously with the defense of Masoud Pezeshkian, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, regarding the increase in gasoline prices, a government media outlet in Iran published a report on the "unregulated" and "illegal" increase in bread prices in Tehran. Some users on social media also reported that bread prices in Tabriz and Birjand have also quietly increased. The Mizan news agency, affiliated with the judiciary of the Islamic Republic, reported on Wednesday, September 7, from Tehran, stating that "for some time, an unregulated increase in bread prices by bakeries has been observed" which "can have a direct impact on people's lives." According to this report, the price of Sangak bread, which has a free market price set at 5,000 tomans, has reached 10,000 tomans, and the price of each Barbari bread has increased from 3,000 tomans to 5,000 tomans. The report also mentioned that the price of Taftoon bread has risen from 1,000 tomans to 2,000 tomans, and online sales of Sangak bread show price increases up to 15,000 tomans. Although this judiciary-affiliated news agency reported the increase in bread prices in Tehran as "50 percent," the prices mentioned indicate a 100 percent increase. At the same time, some users on social media have reported unofficial increases in bread prices in Tabriz and Birjand. One user on the social media platform "X" reacted to the government news agencies' report of the "illegal" increase in bread prices in Tehran, writing: "How can it be illegal when bread is rationed, and with a card reader provided by the government?" Another citizen wrote: "The Islamic Republic's new experience in raising bread prices has been revealed. First, it was implemented in two provinces for a month, then in 10 provinces, and after some normalization, in other provinces. They have the same plan for gasoline." Additionally, whispers of increases in bread and gasoline prices, as two commodities influential in determining market rates in Iran, and Masoud Pezeshkian's defense of rising gasoline prices have sparked reactions on social media. Amir Etemadi, a political activist opposing the Islamic Republic, recalled the statements of Prince Reza Pahlavi ahead of the "mock elections" to determine a successor to Raisi, who said: "Do not let them increase the prices of water, bread, and gasoline in your name and with your vote as support." Journalist Moloud Hajizadeh also wrote: "It is interesting that all governments of the Islamic Republic, and now Pezeshkian, suddenly adopt a free market economy perspective when it comes to gasoline prices, believing in price liberalization, while simultaneously advocating for a completely state-controlled economy and price regulation for all other sectors, from egg and bread prices to wages." Masoud Pezeshkian, the head of the fourteenth government, who had denied the increase in gasoline prices before the presidential elections of the Islamic Republic, criticized the "payment of gasoline subsidies" on Tuesday, September 6, stating: "There is no logic in buying gasoline at free dollar rates and selling it to the people with subsidies." He pointed out that "whether we should give this subsidy is debatable," adding: "Do economists and scholars accept this? Economists should protest against these incorrect policies." On July 11, Masoud Pezeshkian stated: "I have been broadcast in the media that we are raising gasoline prices, while this is not the case. I will not take any action without the people's consent, and I declare this firmly." The head of the fourteenth government of the Islamic Republic also said in his remarks on Tuesday: "When we do not have money for wheat, inputs, and pension payments, we buy gasoline at 50 tomans per dollar and sell it at 10 tomans. No concerned human being would accept such a policy." Pezeshkian's statements have drawn widespread criticism on social media. The potential increase in gasoline and bread prices by Masoud Pezeshkian's government comes at a time when a significant portion of the population lives below the poverty line. Previously, Maqsud Farasakhah, a sociologist, stated in an interview with the Ham-Mihan newspaper on August 23: "Based on my research, one-third of Iranian households are at least somewhat facing absolute poverty." He pointed out that "we are dealing with a group that is starving and living on the lowest calorie intake" and said: "In the global hunger index, Iran was among the ten countries with low hunger last year. While field reports indicate that millions of people in the country live with hunger."